


out of the woods

by aislingthebard



Category: Enderal (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-14
Updated: 2016-10-14
Packaged: 2018-08-22 10:13:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8282227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aislingthebard/pseuds/aislingthebard
Summary: we need to share the heat of our bodies to survive the night





	

“Lets face it, we’re going to die.” 

Jespar huddled deeper into his coat. He tried to hide his face beneath fur and fabric and didn’t seem that happy about the result. With his pale skin, the blue on his lips showed clearly. Calliope felt a swell of concern rising in her chest and ignored it for a silly jest, because they had to be quick and move fast, even with the nature plotting against them.

“Jespar, brighten up. It’s only a bit of snow.”

His face showed nothing but contempt. “Cold and deadly snow, my pretty one.”

He added a snarl and Calliope took a closer look at the surroundings. Maybe he was right. Night was settling and the storm got worse by the minute. She was pretty sure that the High Ones wouldn’t be affected by something as silly as snow. Of course. They didn’t need to follow the rules of humanity.

“That looks like a cave up there. Lets see, if we can find shelter. All this white makes it hard to see anyhow.” Until now, the roads had been open, with only the occasional bandit slowing them down, but the nearer they got to the Collector, the worse the weather got. A sign? Perhaps.

Jespar followed closely, his hands on the hilt of his swords. “If it isn’t filled with hungry bears or a bunch of hungry vatyrs.”

“Always the pessimist, hm?” Luck didn’t seem to favor her, at all, but hopefully it’d grant her some rest for a cold night. 

He shrugged. “Simple pragmatism.”

The cave looked deserted and smelled of old fur, but a thick blanket of leaves covered the stones and some brittle wood cracked beneath her feet. Nothing too fancy, but still better than some of the Inns, they’d encountered.Thankfully there was no sign of life and Calliope released a sigh of relief. For once, they didn’t have to fight their way through a mob of enemies. 

Still, goosebumps covered her arms and back and she felt like having ice for blood. Not surprising considering her soaked robe and hair and Jespar seemed intent on finding some dry wood.

Calliope touched his arm.

“No fire. Even with the snow bandits could see us for miles.” She wasn’t willing to take any further risks. 

He didn’t argue (never a good sign), just put the wood back on the ground. “True. So we just have to try not to die of cold.” Jespar paused and seemed lost in thought for a minute. “I think we need to get closer to each other.”

Calliope’s eyes went wide.“Excuse me.”

He raised his hands, rubbed his neck, eyes on his feet. “No … No, I meant, we need to share the heat of our bodies, because it’s really not getting warmer without a fire.”

Ah.

Jespar made her feel like an awkward virgin and the girl, who lay awake at night, hoping that Sirius would finally show some bravery and kiss her. He never did and she’d started to look elsewhere for kisses.

“Sure. Maybe I can cast a spell, too.” They stripped in silence then, both of them not looking at each other and leaving as much space as possible. The silence felt awkward and too heavy and she had no idea how to break it. Calliope put a clean and almost dry shirt on, because she wouldn’t sit at his side in a wet robe. Jespar seemed content with only wearing his unmentionables, though, and she tried not to stare at his bare skin, the scars and his muscled chest.

Shaking her head slightly, Calliope cleared her mind. Not the time. Not the place.

Calliope’s magic seemed all about destruction and fire and she barely knew any spells of creation, but with her new powers nothing seemed impossible. She listened to her heartbeat and the blood flowing through her veins and put her concentration on the core of magic, which dwelt inside her chest. 

So bright. So warm. Like being touched by the sun, her mother, a sweet childish laugh and easier days.

A flush spread on her cheeks and her fingers started to tingle.

It worked.

“You’re comfortable warm to the touch.” His fingers graced her face and suddenly her mouth went very dry. Jespar was so close she could see his dark lashes and the blue of his eyes. She just needed to lean closer, press her lips onto his, but the closeness vanished as soon as he blinked and opened his mouth to speak.

“And now, the best part. Cuddling.”

Smiling, he edged closer, wrapping his coat around the both of them. “I won’t defile your virtue. I promise.” He seemed comfortable enough, but Calliope noticed how he tried to put some distance between them. Their hips didn’t touch, their fingers neither, but sleep would be hard to find either way.

“It’s very cozy.” It was. Much better than wandering through the storm and losing the way. The collector and his black stone had to wait for the morning. Hopefully the world would survive without them for a while and if not, Calliope felt content just by enjoying their shared warmth. By now, the snow covered every inch of the forest and the trees stood like giant, silent ghosts. Pale moonlight illuminated the silvery landscape and made it appear so peaceful.

Jespar felt surprisingly soft. 

He held one arm wrapped around her waist, head safely propped against her shoulder, and she smelled the snow on his hair. Calliope looked at the ground and not his face, because he was handsome, even more so in this relaxed state. All the lines and hard edges disappeared and made him vulnerable and beautiful. What was the story behind his scars? His easy smiles and sad eyes?

Jespar’s breathing evened out after a few minutes and Calliope kissed the top of his head. She saw a tiny smile waiting on the corners of his mouth, but maybe she was just as tired as he, and already dreaming.


End file.
